You learn, we learn ~ lesson seven
We ask your questions, too.
Hello, everyone!
We are building momentum here in this little corner of the web with over 600 folks who have been tuning in for FIELD SCHOOL.
We hope to encourage you to ask away — your questions, most likely, are our questions. We have a base of knowledge but are wildly, deeply, broadly and specifically learning as we go.
This is the infinite learning curve of farming.
We didn’t start as farmers. We spent most of our adult lives meeting people around the country in office buildings and studios (Alexis) and teaching the next generation in the classroom and beyond (Gabe).
But we knew if we didn’t put our values — and real fears for the future — into action, we would shrivel into shells of ourselves, riddled with anxiety (for our children) and regret (for squandered time).
So, here we are — bringing our full selves to regenerative farming while constantly seeking answers to our questions, of which we have many.
Thank you for sharing yours.
Last week, Terri, from the Midwest, asked a few. Today, we are sharing what we’ve learned…
QUESTION 1:
How do you get the posts for the sheep area into the frozen ground when you rotate them?
ANSWER:
QUESTION 2:
How do the geese’s feet not freeze?
ANSWER:
QUESTION 3:
How do the sheep stay cool in the summer since they are always in wool?
ANSWER:
QUESTION 4:
Do the farm dogs stay outside all winter?
ANSWER:
Our livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) are acclimated to being outside in harsh weather for two reasons. One is, they are (very willingly) outside almost all the time and, two, they have been bred to be able to handle harsh weather and the demands of patrolling. This said, they do — and should — always have access to shelter that’s off the ground. In our case, our dogs have houses on wheels and other dry, secure places (such as our field barn) so they can retreat from the weather at any point, if needed. (When the temperature dives, we also add lots of clean, dry straw in their dog houses and barn for extra warmth.)
We also give our LGDs plenty of nutrient- and calorie-dense foods to keep their inner furnaces burning. And, they have two layers of fur — a soft inner layer (think: a cashmere-and-silk baselayer against the skin) and a coarse outer layer (think: technical jacket or coat of thick wool), which trap warm air between them. They are perfectly outfitted.
It’s also interesting to note LGDs have been bred over centuries in high-altitude locales, such as the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain and Italian hilltop towns such as Tuscany, Lazio and Abruzzo. For generations, shepherds and farmers chose to breed massive dogs with protective instincts, low prey drive, the capacity for independent thinking and great courage. We get the fruits of their labor.
It’s also important to mention, LGDs are incredible farming partners — not at all into top-down, command-and-control relations with humans.
If LGDs get respect, they give respect.
They are truly amazing.
QUESTION 5:
Does a chicken lay the same color egg or do multiple colors come from the same chicken?
ANSWER:
Thank you, Terri, for your questions!
Thank you, everyone, for tuning in.
Thank you for showing up and following along. If you have a question or comment, you can post it in the comment section. (If you feel too awkward or shy to share it here, you can always email us at: gabe@quietpeak.farm and alexis@quietpeak.farm.) We’ll do our best to respond in an upcoming session of FIELD SCHOOL. We’d love to know what you’re thinking…
We are a family-run regenerative farm in the heart of the Western Catskills. Learn more about us here.
Thank you for joining us.